Putting people before party in European vote
This week MPs will vote on amendments to the EU Withdrawal Bill made by the House of Lords.
Among them is an amendment that would keep the UK in the European Economic Area (EEA), an internal market between the 28 members of the EU and three of the four European Free Trade Area (EFTA) states: Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
If passed the amendment would force the government to negotiate continued UK membership of the EEA, granting full access to the EU single market.
The vote is likely to cause significant cross-party splits. The Labour Party front bench has tabled a separate amendment, calling for the gsovernment to adopt full access to the internal market of the European Union as a negotiating objective.
Whilst this is a very welcome step in the right direction, proEU Conservative rebels will not back an amendment that has been laid down by the Labour Party front bench, which means in practice the only way this objective could be achieved is by Labour being in government.
But we have a rare opportunity to change the direction of Brexit right now from opposition. I have always been a strong supporter of the European Union and since becoming an MP and seeing the Brexit process up close I have only become more convinced that leaving the EU is an act of social and economic vandalism that will damage the communities I represent.
There is no good outcome to Brexit but we must do everything in our power to limit the damage it will do to our economy, jobs and future prosperity.
I believe the best way to do that is to ensure that we are in a customs union with the EU and continue to have full access to the single market.
Euroscepticism is on the rise across the Europe. The EU will want to demonstrate to members that leaving comes at a cost.
That is why it is fantasy politics to believe they would ever agree to reward the UK with a gold standard, bespoke trade deal after leaving.
EEA/EFTA offers another way forward. It is a well understood, ready-made package that will allow us full access to the single market and, when combined with a customs union agreement, offer a practical solution to the big challenges of leaving the EU, not least the need to establish a frictionless border between Northern Ireland and the Republic.
Voting contrary to the official party instruction, or breaking the whip as it is known, is not something I would ever do flippantly.
But on this first anniversary of my election victory I have been reflecting on the promise I made to always put the needs of Rutherglen and Hamilton West constituents first.
For as long as I am an MP I will honour that commitment.
That’s why when the division bell rings, no matter what the official Labour Party position is, I will be joining MPs from across the House of Commons to vote for continued membership of the EEA.